3.16.2010

Italian ices, vegan ice cream and more

Temperatures have barely topped 50 so far this spring, but options for cold, sweet sustenance on Broadway are ever-expanding in anticipation of warmer weather.

At 382 Broadway, Johnny and Carrie Sciangula are planning to open Johnny’s Gourmet Italian Ices, offering four different kinds of icy specialties in dozens of flavors: handcrafted ice creams, vegan ice creams, traditional Italian water ices and cream ices.

The local residents who, until recently, split their time between Saratoga and Long Island, say the shop will be a dream come true after they’ve witnessed many bustling summers on Broadway. The couple’s son Dominic, 20, will work in the shop as well.

The Sciangulas are renovating the space that was, most recently, a KEM leather goods store, and also the former Saratoga Newsstand. Inside stools, a wrought iron fence surrounding outdoor tables and chairs, and a bright magenta awning will complete the look of the “little Victorian café,” Johnny Sciangula said.

“It’s going to be the place for a good, inexpensive treat for everybody,” he added.

An opening date is pending while owners navigate the city’s permit process.

A different kind of shop, Plum Dandy Frozen Yogurt, appears to be in the works across the street, and as previously reported, Eugenio’s Café Gelato will complete the triangle of frozen treat shops when it reopens at 458 Broadway this spring.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Went there last week. The vegan ice creams were put right next to non-vegan ice creams. They told me they use separate scoops, but I never took the chance to see that in action. My son has egg and dairy allergies, and they way they put vegan ice cream right next to dairy, with flecks of the dairy kind accidentally getting into the vegan kinds, made this place not safe for people with allergies.

We could have gotten the Italian Ice, which is housed in a separate case at the front, but the vegan ice cream can't be promised to be 100% vegan. And watch out for the guy who was working there who didn't even know that vegan means "contains no animal products."

I think they mean well, but they can do much better for folks who NEED to eat vegan due to allergies. No ice cream is worth using an Epi Pen and taking a trip in an ambulance!

Friday, August 06, 2010 11:06:00 AM 

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